Harissa-Rubbed Steak & Carrot Salad

Depending on your region, skirt steak may not be something your supermarket regularly carries--call ahead to make sure it's available or ask your butcher to order it for you. It's usually sold in about 1-pound cuts up to 18 inches long and 5 inches wide, but just 1/4 inch thick. Before cooking, cut the steak with the grain into several portions to make the long piece more manageable on the grill or in a skillet. Once cooked, be sure to slice it across the grain for maximum tenderness. Hanger steak, flat-iron and flank steak can all be used as substitutes for skirt steak in most recipes.

Harissa is a fiery Tunisian chile paste commonly used in North African cooking. Find it at specialty-food stores, mustaphas.com or amazon.com. Different brands of harissa vary in heat, so taste it and add accordingly.

Broiler Variation: Position rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler. Coat a broiler pan or large baking sheet with cooking spray. Broil steak on the prepared pan, turning once, 2 to 4 minutes per side for medium.

Easy cleanup: Recipes that require cooking spray can leave behind a sticky residue that can be hard to clean. To save time and keep your baking sheet looking fresh, line it with a layer of foil before you apply the cooking spray.